The Essential List: Jordana Freydberg
Jordana Freydberg’s sales career path began in live music, booking tours for an array of artists from cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma to legendary guitar shredder Joe Satriani. In the summer of 2010 she entered the ad industry, joining Greenpoint Pictures in New York as its director of sales, before being promoted to executive producer in 2014. Last year saw her up sticks from New York and head west to open up Greenpoint’s Los Angeles office. She tells us that she misses NYC but the year-round sunshine and proximity of her front door to the beach are helping her cope. We are not surprised.
Now settled into West Coast life, we hit Jordana up for her Essential List.
Get to know!
Lifestyle
o Place of birth: Park Ridge, IL
o Hometown: Deerfield, IL
o Staycation: Hotel Figueroa in Downtown LA to go to concerts and then recover the next day by the pool. Most recently I did this for an Erasure and David Byrne double header!
o Vacation: Current goal is Japan this fall, and Europe in July for my best friend’s wedding in San Sebastian, Spain
o Pet: Our next-door neighbor’s cat, who leaves me ‘gifts’ in the form of dead mice.
o Place of work: Greenpoint Pictures - I’ve been with Greenpoint for eight years, and it’s been an exciting evolution. We’ve grown from being more of a secret weapon in the early days to being a true force in the industry. I’m in LA now, establishing our office here, so we are legit bicoastal! I miss NYC but it’s almost always sunny and I live less than a mile from the beach so… you could say I’m coping.
o Place of workout: My backyard. I’m addicted to the Peloton and Nike Training Club apps. Also love runs on the beach now that I’m an LA person!
o Side project: Raising a toddler
o Mode of transport: Navy Volvo XC60 SUV. The ultimate #momcar
o Bonus Travel Essential: My ‘Flying’ Spotify playlist. Bon Iver, The National, Beach House and other blood pressure-reducing tunes.
Culture
o Artist: David Hockney at the Getty was the last exhibit I made it to and I loved it. It’s not so easy to get out to see art with a kiddo but now that he’s bigger it’s time to start hitting the LA museum circuit. He was with me at the Getty but he slept the entire time.
o Musician: David Byrne
o Commercials / music video director: Obviously everyone from the GP roster!
o Film director: Pedro Almodóvar
o Photographer: Gregory Crewdson
o Film: Mandy. Haven’t seen it yet but it’s currently topping my list for must-sees.
o Series: Succession
o Commercial: Impossible to answer
o Music Video: Freedom! 90
o Board Game: Mall Madness
o Book: Just devoured An American Marriage, but Middlesex will always be my #1
o Graphic Novel: Persepolis
o Podcast: My Dad Wrote a Porno. Hot tip: don’t leave this one running on your bluetooth when the next person in your car might be a valet parking. attendant. It makes for a very embarrassing key hand off
o Newspaper (off or online): NY Times
o Magazine: NY Mag
o Bonus Culture Essential: Cole Escola’s Instagram feed, particularly the videos.
Food and Drink
o Breakfast: #1: banana and cappuccino, #2: eggs over easy, avocado, wheat toast and tomatoes. Yes, I eat two breakfasts.
o Restaurant: I hate this question because of how much I love food.
o Cheap bite: Gjelina Take Away. Not ‘cheap’ but quick!
o Working lunch: Rose Cafe
o Favourite Dish: Brussels sprouts at Rose Cafe
o Signature Dish: Pulled pork on Super Bowl Sunday
o Snack: Cheese
o Guilty Pleasure: Cheese
o Bar: Clandestino in the Lower East Side was my old haunt. Now that I live in Venice its Wabi Sabi or Roosterfish because they are in walking distance.
o Booze: Mezcal
o Not Booze: Intelligentsia cappuccino
o Bonus Food: Cheese
o Bonus Beverage: Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale, AKA the best beer in the world.
Kit
o Phone: iPhone something. No clue what model it is but it isn’t the X. I’m waiting for the new one!
o Computer: MacBook Air
o TV: 65” Samsung
o Headphones: Two pairs on me at all times: AirPods + Wireless Beats, because I’m always on the phone and one pair is always dying. Also the Beats are best for workouts, to spare the neighbours.
o Camera: iPhone
o Soundsystem: Sonos… everywhere
o Pen / pencil: Black Uni-ball… so smooth
o Where you document an idea: Good old-fashioned notepad pleasantly gifted by a real estate agent who was going door-to-door in Venice.
Work fuels and tools
o Casual Clothing: Ilana Kohn denim jumpsuit. It can be worn year-round. It comes with me on every work trip.
o Smart Clothing: Warm NYC jumpsuit (I live in jumpsuits, one-stop dressing!)
o Footwear: Beatriz Furest sandals from her store in El Born, Barcelona
o Collection: Black Crane or Zero by Maria Cornejo (can’t pick one!)
o App: Instagram
o Website: Amazon (mother of toddler… always needing something)
o Work program: The whole Google office suite - Sheets, Docs, etc. The collaborative nature and use of Google Drive in general has made my life (and managing the storage capacity of an Air) so much easier.
o Digital work tool: Wiredrive
o Analogue work tool: Gift of gab
o Morning grooming / makeup essential: Nars under eye concealer. Will not leave home without!
o Bonus Kit Essential: Statement jewellery.
Tacos, MedMen and an electric scooter... we think Jordana is settling into LA life just fine.
